In Sunday’s edition of the Washington Post, Eric Prisbell wrote what likely is the most comprehensive profile on John Wall to date.

One part of the piece, where Prisbell revealed to an unaware Wall that his father served time in prison for murder before he was born, has struck a chord with many.

Mike Prada covers this aspect in an interview with Prisbell on Bullets Forever. I also touch on the subject in my weekly media column for SB Nation DC, “Media Sensitivities in a Sports Celebrity World: The Handling of John Wall’s Story.” Check it out.

John Wall can cut as fast as a cheetah’s single top-speed stride.

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Evidently while in New York to face the Knicks in the Wizards’ final road game of the year, JaVale McGee stopped by FAO Schwarz to go shopping for some toys. We know this because he Tweeted it and shared the above pic of himself and a stuffed acquisition resembling his likeness … in Muppet form.

I could totally see JaVale trying to recreate that piano scene from Big while he was there … if he even remembers that movie. It came out the year he was born, 1988.

But the imaginary fun doesn’t end there. Cue the genius of the WizzNutzz in Tweet form …

At times, many times, JaVale McGee shoots the ball every time he touches it is a fact not lost upon most Wizards fans. I covered it extensively in an April 4th post, The Catch-22 of JaVale McGee. The best part is in a video interview, McGee is specifically asked about balancing patience on the offensive end. He answers the question by saying, “In my mind, I’m just, if I get the ball one on one, I feel like drive, drive, drive and get as close to the hole as possible and it’s either going to be a foul or a dunk.” So, he didn’t really answer the question at all.

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I managed to survive the recent heavy snowfall in D.C., and all the cutesy names people were calling it — #SNOMG, Snowpocalypse, etc. — but in the process, somehow found myself taking a little break from writing/blogging. But now I’m back, and hopefully a bit refreshed and motivated to keep on keepin’ on through the rest of this season nightmare.

Apologies if, at times, I tend to get a little negative/overboard on this site, or on Twitter (mostly Twitter) … and no, I’m not writing this as a reaction to JaVale McGee, via Twitter, dubbing myself, Mike Prada of Bullets Forever, and Michael Lee of the Washington Post, “haters” after Friday’s game against the Magic, also suggesting that we should work for TMZ. (JaVale did this after re-Tweeting something that each of us had Tweeted, links below). Actually, I’m not reacting to anything anyone has said to me, just doing a little self-check here.

But back to McGee for second, I really don’t think anyone was “hating” on him, but rather commenting on game observations/understandably reflecting on frustrations. But if the feelings of young JaVale got hurt, then I suppose apologies are in order. I responded to his call-out with a couple Tweets of my own, nothing defensive, but mostly with a some classic music tracks. Others chose to remain silent with, perhaps, the intent of approaching McGee in person. All and all, it’s really a shoulder shrugging, no biggie situation. In other words, I could care less.

But back to my, at brief times, penchant for negativity (again, this is mostly on Twitter). It happens, oh well.  One must find a way to vent about witnessing frustrating, unacceptable effort while not going overboard … in addition to acting as a balance to the always positive light emitted from official team outlets (or the non-bias of main-stream media outlets). That’s what each of those entities are supposed to do, but speaking specifically in terms of the former, there are only so many ways to polish up a pile of crap before giving up because of the stink.

I’ll try to stay medium, but there’s no guaranteeing. Calling things like I see them, that’s why this blog is named Truth About It in the first place.

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7:20:10 PM: Bit of a snow day here in DC, but I made it to the Verizon Center for Wizards-Knicks @ 8 pm.

7:20:54 PM: Of course, I don’t have a car & live a couple metro stops away from Verizon, so getting here is just a matter of putting on boots & walking.

7:21:51 PM: Spoke w both Larry Hughes & Jonathan Bender b/f the game. Gotta get those interviews up along w old ones w Darius Songaila & Erick Dampier.

7:23:28 PM: Before the game, Flip Saunders reiterated that last night’s game tape vs. the NJ Nets is not going into the Springfield Hall of Fame.

7:26:05 PM: On if he plans 2 rest starters more (like they did last nite), Flip said, “Naw, they just played bad & didn’t seem 2 have good energy.”

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6:41:17 PM: Saw a Lakers fan in Kobe jersey exit liquor store w small brown package on my way to the Verizon Ctr. Yep, this might get ugly tonight.

6:41:39 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Antawn Jamison has a right foot sprain, but he expects to play 2night. Earl Boykins is doubtful with a left heel injury

6:43:15 PM: With Boykins doubtful, @mikejames7 will likely get some run. He said b/f game that he’ll be ready this time, Flip won’t catch him sleeping.

6:44:22 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Flip on Kobe’s ability 2 score w broken finger: “If ur a shooter, u can have a broken arm & ur still going 2 get shots up.”

6:45:22 PM: A colleague said Kornheiser & @MikeWiseguy were both in Lakers locker room b/f game. No words were exchanged. Wilbon around too.

6:48:53 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Is it a coincidence that Wizards are playing their 44th game the day after the Lakers visited with 44th President?

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12:14:41 PM: Dragging a tad on this Sunday, but I’m here at the Verizon Center ready to cover the Wizards-Clippers game.

12:16:54 PM: Happy 2 B here, but get feeling around Verizon that not everyone is exactly thrilled @ another Sunday afternoon game, against the Clippers.

12:19:21 PM: Mike James held court in locker room again today, talked about John Lucas, who is an assist. coach w the Clips & works out James in HOU

12:20:47 PM: James said Lucas is unlike any other NBA coach b/c players gravitate 2 him, opposed 2 others players usually want 2 keep distance from

12:23:29 PM: Before the game, Flip said the Clippers are a “dangerous” team b/c of bigs like Kaman & Camby rebounding & b/c Baron Davis can run the show.

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5:49:23 PM: If Mike Miller scores 26 points against the Mavs tonight, he’ll reach 9,000 for his career.

6:04:28 PM: Same starters for Wizards: Foye, Stevenson, Butler, Jamison & Haywood.

6:06:06 PM: When asked to grade the first half, Flip Saunders gave the Wizards an “incomplete.”

6:10:22 PM: In addition to Flip, other active NBA coaches w 600+ wins: Nelson, Sloan, Jackson, Brown, Karl, Adelman, Popovich & Dunleavy.

6:22:58 PM: Ha! RT @macg_og: @Truth_About_It Ask Miller about proposed All White League, 1st question, is he too black?

6:24:35 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Terry is Arizona product like Arenas: “We’re a brotherhood. He’s going through a rough time, but we’re here to support him”

6:25:52 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Flip: “We’re not where we want to be, no question…since Tawn got hurt in Cleveland, things haven’t fallen into place.”

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6:57:50 PM: Your inactives: Javaris Crittenton, Mike Miller & Andray Blatche (team suspension). Your ‘not-in-the-buildings’: Gilbert Arenas

6:59:04 PM: Poor Wiz radio guy Dave Johnson, he has to say things like, “You have every reason to be encouraged … esp. after the last two games.”

7:00:41 PM: Meanwhile, U have a player suspended 4 complaining about not getting shots & more players going 2 court everyday 2 speak on their teammates

7:03:20 PM: Washington Wizards: Where “Encouraging” Is A Fairy Tale

7:03:54 PM: Read the Wiz Insider pregame report from @MrMichaelLee http://bit.ly/88xsYE

7:06:11 PM: Guess the good news is that if this were the playoffs, Mike Miller would be playing, at least that’s what Flip Saunders said. #silly

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I’m not sure of the exact time Gilbert Arenas’ Twitter account, @gilbertarenas, was removed from the Internet (sometime during the evening of January 7th, probably about the time Garrett Gilbert-Javier Arenas zingers were getting started Twitter), but I am sure it existed. I’m also sure that nothing can ever be completely removed from the web … such as a handy little RSS feed I had of Arenas’ tweets.

Over seven days Arenas shared 155 Tweets with the world (I don’t count the ‘non-Tweet’ videos he posted before he really got going on New Year’s Eve). He had some good ones, he had some interesting ones, he had some ‘I’m a silly little kid’ ones. I didn’t mind Arenas being on Twitter so much — it got blown out of proportion — but I doubt I would have done the same had I been in his position … or at least I would have been more apologetic/sensible (I’d like to think).

Then reader Sean Snider sent me a lesson for Gilbert that made perfect sense:

A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field. While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Moral of the story: Read more »

6:10:27 PM: I finally left the locker room to go eat. They could probably do just fine with one less shark in the water.

6:12:13 PM: BTW. Flip Saunders said that Gilbert Arenas will be available to play tonight.

6:13:49 PM: Flip said Antawn is a bit stiff, but was hoping he could loosen up & play. Jamison seemed loose enuff bouncing around locker room w his ipod

6:18:20 PM: Flip Saunders: “From my standpoint, and as I told the players, we’re still going to get judged by what we do on the court.”

6:21:59 PM: RT @rashad20 Ex Wiz & current Spur Roger Mason said he didnt know how bad defensive habits were until he got 2 the SA & learned right way

6:23:43 PM: Wizards going big tonight. Flip is starting Arenas, Butler, Jamison, Blatche & Haywood.

6:28:28 PM: Flip: “We’ve had two hard, very intense practices and I hope there’s some carry-over from those practices.”

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Gilbert Arenas tweeted a lot as he brought in the new year. He acknowledged that his gun thing is serious, but that he doesn’t do serious things. He said the Shaq rumor wasn’t true, but indicated that even so, panties, blowies and massages were supposedly at his disposal. Arenas almost complains about the drama in his life, yet embraces it because it gives him the attention he so seemingly and desperately craves. He was just being the crazy (in a good way) Gilbert we know, but yet don’t quite understand.

There are a couple reasons to document Gilbert Arenas’ first 24-hours of Tweeting. For one, you might not be one of his 13,338 growing army of followers, students in the study of Gilbertology. Secondly, Tweets can be erased. This site isn’t going anywhere. And if it does, there’s still always the Internet Archive: Way Back Machine. Also worth considering: It’s quite possible that Gilbert Arenas will deny that he was behind his January 1st 2010 Tweets (@gilbertarenas is not currently a verified account). But knowing Gil (sorta), I doubt it.

During the height of Arena’s Tweets on New Year’s Day, while many were planting a palm-smack on their forehead or pleading with him to stop, I wanted Gilbert to keep going. Not because it provides good blogging fodder, although it does, but more because Arenas was being allowed to be human. Twitter offers celebrities such as him, and normal folks such as you and I, the unfiltered freedom to share thoughts, etc..

Sure, everyone should be careful what they say in a public venue, but with $111 million dollars on your side, you don’t always have to go tip-toeing over people’s sensitivities when it’s your own life. Who is to say that Arenas must shut himself up? Or speak through a mouthpiece, an agent, such as Drew Rosenhaus … could you imagine if he was involved?

I’m just as pissed about the gun incident as the next passionate Wizards fan. These dudes are messing with the franchise I’ll still follow long after they are gone. I imagine I’ll still write something ripping Arenas and Crittenton once all the facts come out. But folks, Gilbert is not a basketball-playing robot. Plus, his tweets are pretty entertaining, albeit a tad immature, a bit naive, and sorta egotistical. Read more »

6:48:41 PM: The Verizon Center is dead just like D.C. – 15 minutes until Wizards-Thunder tip-off, but judging from crowd, feels about an hour away.

6:49:24 PM: RT @BulletsForever Flip implied we might see more zone: “In 2 of our last 3 games, our best defense at times has been our zone defense.”

6:50:42 PM: I asked a bunch of the Wizards before the game what was their favorite x-mas gift that they gave someone else. Got some interesting answers.

6:51:38 PM: Yea, riiiight. RT @BulletsForever Don’t expect 2 C Foye at PG. Flip: “Boykins has been most effective player off bench over last 15 gms”

6:53:14 PM: Wizards goals for tonight: Rebound & Run w OKC, go at Durant on D, Swing the ball on O, Contain dribble, & get early help from weakside D.

6:57:02 PM: Overhead JaVale McGee saying that his new year’s resolution is to make the playoffs.

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5:24:36 PM: Heading to the Verizon Center with the hope that the Wizards will display some serious effort tonight. It’s going to be an adventure.

6:17:13 PM: Mike James is on the cover of the Wizards’ Game Time magazine/handout tonight. Wonder if it’s the last time we’ll see him in a Wiz uniform.

6:18:04 PM: Randy Foye will start tonight for the Wizards, Lou Williams will come off the bench for the 76ers.

6:20:29 PM: Tonight’s Wizards-76ers officials: #33 Sean Corbin, #39 Kevin Fehr, and #66, former Washington Bullet, Haywoode Workman.

6:24:36 PM: Like Flip has done, Eddie Jordan said he thought about giving up shoot-around 2 help his team, but values it too much as a teaching tool.

6:29:10 PM: I asked Eddie Jordan about defense, he jokingly interrupted “I don’t know anything about defense, from what I understand.”

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6:16:02 PM: DeShawn Stevenson on starting: “It’s whatever. I just want to play basketball.”

6:18:41 PM: DeShawn Stevenson: “It doesn’t matter who starts, who doesn’t start. In the end, we just gotta win ball games.”

6:23:49 PM: Tonight’s Wizards-Pacers officials: Scott Foster, Brian Forte & Ed Malloy.

6:25:54 PM: BTW, records show that Tim Donaghy called fellow referee Scott Foster more times than his bookie b/t 10/2006 & 4/2007 (134 times to 126)

6:27:51 PM: Flip Saunders aims to match the energy of the Pacers & have a carry-over from the 2nd half against Boston. Hope he didn’t mean FTs.

6:29:46 PM: Flip Saunders on various his starting lineups: “Right now we’re still in the juggling phase.”

6:31:45 PM: Mike Miller will travel with the Wizards on their 4-game West Coast swing. Also, his family lives out there.

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7:35:57 PM: Talked 2 Haywood, he expects Bosh 2 come out aggressive tonight after he played good D on him in Toronto & ATL put 146 on TOR on Wed.

7:38:01 PM: Haywood said the Wizards’ defensive focus against Toronto will be to limit their good looks from 3-point land, important to contest shots.

7:40:39 PM: Javaris Crittenton said he “doesn’t really have a timetable” & “should be practicing in a week & a half, no more than 2 weeks.”

7:42:26 PM: Tonight’s Wizards v. Raptors refs: Bill Spooner, Leroy Richardson & Zach Zarba.

7:43:55 PM: @MrMichaelLee takes a look at the Raptors on Wizards Insider http://bit.ly/50SzoJ

7:45:34 PM: The last time the Wiz started 7-10 was in 06-07. They went 20-7 over the next 27 & had best record in East on Jan. 30, 2007.

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